She Will Be Loved
by kinmoku2
Summary: Always looked down upon for her weight, Namine instantly fell in love with the little boy who became her best friend. As they grow older, however, things change and Namine, desperate for love, finds herself caught in an abusive relationship-that is until her real Prince Charming finally comes to realize his own feelings and confesses them in a song...


**S**h**e** **W**i**l**l **B**e **L**o**v**e**d**

NxR

_(2__nd__ Grade)_

"Ice cream? I'd _love~_ to go get some but…Ms. Belle said I have to help clean the classroom…"

"Aww, don't worry Ami-chan," A silver haired boy says soothingly to the pouting girl, "I'm sure turtle girl won't mind doing it alone."

The little girl sweeping in the corner of the room stiffens at the sound of her hated nickname but remains silent as the other children in the room continue to throw verbal knives at her. After all, what right did she have to oppose them? She wasn't anything in comparison to _her_ anyway.

"You'll clean up by yourself so Ami-chan can come get ice-cream with us, right turtle girl?" Another boy asks expectantly as his thin lips pull into a malicious smirk.

Her lips tremble but the little girl submissively nods her head as she softly answers. "O-Okay…"

"See," The other boy grins triumphantly, "Now you can come get ice cream with us!"

Ami beams brightly at both boys and giggles. "Yay! Let's go! I wanna be outta here before Ms. Belle comes back and makes me clean with turtle girl!"

"Yeah," The silver haired boy agrees hastily, "I don't wanna be in here with her either! She's weird and _fat_."

The sweeping girl can't help but flinch at this but tries to pretend that she isn't listening to the conversation by sweeping harder and almost inaudibly murmuring under her breath, "Sticks and stones may break my bones but words can never hurt me…" It was her life's mantra. It grew tired and dry on her lips, but it was the only thing that kept the floodgates behind her eyes from opening and the strangled sobs trapped behind her lips.

She has to be strong. Before her mother had passed away last year from cancer, she had told the little girl _never_ to let anyone's words bring her down.

" _Cruel words," her mother had rasped gently, "are nothing more than someone else's insecurities. You, my beautiful Naminé, are special and if other people can't see that then…They're not worth your time."_

_Naminé grasped her mother's frail hand desperately as tears streamed down her cheeks. "B-But Mama! What if the other kids keep making fun of me because I'm f-fat?" More tears pooled at her chin before falling onto her mother's diaphanous white sheets. _

"_Sticks and stones baby," her mother cooed softly, "Their words can't hurt you…"_

_Naminé shook her head and sniffled as her mother stroked her hair soothingly. "A-And…W-What if…no one t-thinks I-I'm special!? Mama, I don't wanna be alone!"_

"_And you won't sweetie. I promise that one day you'll find someone special. Someone who loves you just the way you are—just like I do," Naminé's mother smiled weakly but her eyes remained alight as she looked to her daughter._

_Naminé swallowed back her tears and nodded her head with a new hope budding in her heart. "P-Promise?"_

"_Promise." Naminé's mother held up her pinky finger and Naminé finally smiled as she held up her own pinky finger to shake. _

That was why she has to fight it. She can't let her mother down.

With no sympathy towards her blonde classmate, Ami giggles at the silver haired boy's response before cheerfully looping her arms around the two boys. "Well, c'mon then! Let's go already!"

Naminé doesn't bother to cast a second glance towards the group as they noisily bounce out of the room. She just keeps her head low and repeats her mantra as though stuck in a perpetual daze.

"Hmm…I think I left my backpack in here…," murmurs a young blond boy under his breath as he quietly wanders into the nearly abandoned classroom. He doesn't notice her presence at first since she's well hidden away from his peripheral view, and…he probably would have completely missed her too, if it hadn't been for the soft, dejected sigh that escapes her lips.

"Huh?"

Stopping his search, the boy looks around the room again. He is certain he's heard something. _Positive._ "Hello~," He calls hesitantly, "Is anyone one here? I just lost my backpack and—" Abruptly, his eyes meet hers and, for a second, she thinks her heart has stopped.

Messily spiked blonde hair. Ocean blue eyes. _'A r-real prince c-charming!' _Her mind exclaims as her thoughts instantly drift to her mother's promise. Maybe _he_ was the special boy her mother had promised would come for her? Nervous butterflies flit about in her stomach in a hopeful response, but…then Naminé looks down at herself and sighs. She's being delusional. This boy is way too cute to like her. And…besides, he probably likes Ami anyway—all of the other boys do. The little girl doesn't blame them though…Ami's pretty and skinny. Naminé is neither.

"Do you need some help with that?" He asks, looking down at the dustpan and broom in her petite hands with a small frown.

Naminé can only flush as she hastily shakes her head in embarrassment, avoiding the boy's probing stare. He doesn't really want to help her, does he? It has to be some kind of trick…

Still, the boy smiles at her as he gently takes the broom from her hands. "Let me help. That way, you can get done faster."

The little blonde girl doesn't think her heart can pound any faster, but she manages a steady nod in return before gingerly bending down to help with the sweeping. She doesn't exactly understand what is happening that moment, but she doesn't bother to question it as the duo works silently alongside one another.

"I'm Roxas by the way," the boy says up once they have finished cleaning the floors. His smile is bright as he looks at her and Naminé feels a new flood of heat rise into her cheeks as her own blue eyes flicker over to him. She still can't seem to utter a syllable around him, but gives a small nod instead as a tiny smile of gratitude flits across her lips.

"Though, I think we're in the same class actually," Roxas observes aloud as his lips pursue with a twinge of curiosity, "It's just kinda funny because I don't think I've really seen you before…What's your name?"

This startles Naminé slightly because she, too, has never noticed Roxas before. But…that's probably because she normally keeps her head low and focused on her art work. The little girl had never been one to draw attention to herself.

"My n-name," She stutters quietly in response, "is N-Naminé."

"Naminé…," Roxas tests the name on his lips before breaking out into a broad grin and eagerly grabbing one of her hands tightly between his own. "This is awesome! Now, that I know your name…we can be friends forever, right Nami?"

"O-Okay." Naminé can't hold back her surprise as her cheeks become an even deeper shade of scarlet.

_That was the moment she first fell in love with him._

x-X-x-X-x

_(5__th__ Grade)_

Naminé hates gym class. Absolutely _despises_ it. It's the one heinous class that gives her peers endless opportunities to mock her. In fact, their gym teacher, Mr. Leonheart, didn't even bother to notice when the other kids (especially the boys) holler rude remarks at her or push her down—It's like she was completely and perpetually invisible. The only bright side to her unfortunate situation is that her best friend, Roxas Hikari, was in the class with her. He always stood up for her when she was being picked on.

Naminé smiles to herself at thought and looks over at her best friend who is now at the front of group beside Mr. Leonheart. He's bouncing excitedly on the freshly trimmed grass and Naminé can't help but giggle at his antics. Unlike Naminé, Roxas loves gym class.

'_But that's just cuz he's so good at sports…," _Naminé thinks to herself with a small sigh. She wasn't even _half _as athletic as Roxas. And…It wasn't that Naminé _disliked_ her best friend's love of sports. She just didn't like that it wasn't something they could do together and the fact that it made him super popular—especially with their _female_ peers.

It may have sounded selfish, but Roxas was her only friend. She didn't like the thought of having to share him with other people.

"Alright kids," Mr. Leonheart announces in his typical low voice, "Now that we have our two captains for the kickball game, it's time to pick teams. Riku, you can go first this time."

The silver haired boy, Riku, grins smugly at Roxas before looking out into the sea of faces and making his first pick. "I pick Sora!" Riku declares, pointing towards the hyperactive brunette in the back. Sora, who Naminé had learned was Roxas' cousin, bounds over excitedly as he and Riku bop fists.

Naminé, however, only sighs sullenly at the exchange and tries her best to keep her head low. It wasn't that she _wanted_ to picked by Riku. It was just that…She was _always_ picked last and she hated that. The sting of humiliation each time the two captains would argue over who should pick her, Roxas' quick defense of her…It was everything that made Naminé feel like even more of an outsider than usual.

"I get to pick now, right?" Roxas asks looking to Mr. Leonheart with a zealous grin. Mr. Leonheart only nods with disinterest as a response. "Hmm…," Roxas quietly muses as he lightly taps his chin, "I'm gonna pick..." He pauses a moment to let his eyes roam across his possible candidates before loudly announcing his choice with a triumphant grin. "Naminé!"

Several of the students look around the field confused. Since when was a girl named Naminé in their class?

Hesitantly, Naminé steps forward to accept. Her cheeks are burning brightly against her pale skin and she tries her best to ignore the onslaught of dirty looks and rude remarks as she goes to stand beside her best friend. Even Mr. Leonheart appears surprised at the boy's choice but then a small ghost of a smile flickers across his face before he silently gestures for Riku to continue with his second pick.

Naminé doesn't notice anything else after that. The shock…the abrupt warmth that engulfed her when she thought of her best friend…They were far too distracting for the blonde. Out of all of the kids he could have picked, had had picked her!

_Finally,_ she was first.

X-X-x-X-x

When she finds him after school that day, he's lingering in the music room playing a soft but peaceful lullaby on the piano—her favorite piece. Naminé stands back a minute to watch his hands dance artfully across the keys. Admiring each gossamer touch, each fluid note…It's one of her favorite things to do when they were together.

"T-Thank you…," She quietly murmurs under her breath once his hands have ceased their melodious dance. She doesn't think he can hear her words due to their softness, but he has known her long enough to easily catch each syllable that escapes her lips.

"What for?" The question comes out simple but tinted with confusion because he doesn't realize that he has performed a heroic deed.

Naminé doesn't look up at him. She keeps her eyes focused on her white tennis shoes which are now scuffed with dirt thanks to today's kickball game. "…For picking me…first. N-No one ever does," She sullenly confesses.

"It's no problem Naminé," Roxas replies softly and traces his fingers along the smooth edges of the keys. "You're my best friend. I'm always gonna pick you first."

When Naminé sees the sincere smile painted across his lips, tears pool behind her eyes and she can't hold back as they slowly begin to cascade down her cheeks. But, she isn't sad. _No_. A smile quickly breaks through the tears and her usually downcast eyes lift as she expresses another simple but meaningful 'Thank you.'

Roxas doesn't offer a verbal response at first, but merely gestures to the space beside him on the piano bench with a warm, comforting smile. She walks over; making no sound as she delicately sits beside him. In her mind, however, she is fussing about how little room she has left him with and the fact that her size made her seem unfit to even be sitting next to him on this bench.

"I made up a new song yesterday." He breaks the silence with a soft voice and instantly she finds her attention drawn back to him as she patiently waits for him to continue. "I hope you like it…I actually named it after you." Roxas turns to face the blonde with a convivial smile while Naminé simply blushes and bows her head shyly as the nostalgic melody begins to fill the room.

_She hadn't known she could fall deeper…_

X-X-x-X-x

_(8__th__ Grade)_

She's a teenager now, plagued with constant insecurities nagging at the back of her mind, gossip that drives her nearly insane and hormones that make her feelings for him almost physically _painful _at times.

They're still best friends, of course. The only difference in their relationship is that they had both branched out more and made new friends. From the soccer team, Roxas had become good friends with Hayner, Tidus, Wakka, and Pence. He already knew Sora and Ventus—especially the latter who was his older brother by a year.

Naminé, on the other hand, had made her new friends through Kairi—her social butterfly of a cousin who had just transferred to their middle school from Radiant Garden earlier in the year. With Kairi's help, Naminé had been able to make friends with several of the girls in their class.

There was Olette, a kind studious girl with emerald eyes and messily braided coffee colored hair. And Fuu, a quiet and seemingly intimidating girl with ruby eyes and cropped silver hair.

The other two girls that composed their group, however, were not what Naminé would like to call 'friends.' Selphie, Kairi's bubbly co-captain on the cheerleading squad, always made sure to make snide remarks in regards to Naminé's weight, something which the jade eyed girl knew made Naminé feel even more unwanted than she usually did.

Yet, unlike Selphie, the second girl wasn't a mean spirited gossip. She was actually relatively friendly to people…was into the arts like her…a bit of a tomboy but nothing that would seem completely detestable or uninviting. Except, perhaps, her _obvious _crush on Naminé's best friend.

That was what caused the two girls to be embittered towards one another. Naminé knew Xion liked Roxas and Xion knew Naminé also liked Roxas. Neither girl said anything to the other about their feelings, but were in constant competition for the blond boy's affection. Something that Naminé found extremely irritating, especially when her best friend seemed to respond to her flirting with a little of his own….

Sighing, Naminé shakes the idea from her mind. Today was supposed to be fun. She's out shopping with her friends at the mall; they were preparing for their eighth grade formal which was in a week and admittedly, even Naminé found herself to be a little excited. She was secretly hoping that Roxas would ask her to dance, at least once.

'_And maybe…I can even tell him how I feel,' _Naminé muses, a light hue of pink filling her cheeks as she imagined the scene. It would be the perfect time, if she could muster up the courage to confess. Pulling a powder blue dress from a stray rack, Naminé smiles and holds it up against her body.

"_Ugh_, like that's even gonna fit you," Selphie's snide voice cuts into Naminé's thoughts, breaking her concentration. "You might as well not shop with us like at all. I mean I don't think they sell plus sized dresses here anyway."

"I-It doesn't mean I c-can't look," Naminé stutters, averting her now glassy blue eyes as she puts back the dress with trembling hands.

Selphie scoffs, a cruel smile playing at her lips. "Why even bother with _that_? With your weight, it's not even like anyone will ask you out anyway."

Naminé sniffles but didn't have anything to say. Selphie was right. Why was she, of all people, bothering to find a dress for a dance that no one will ask her to go to. She'll just end up by herself the entire night anyway. And, even if Roxas did ask her to dance, it wouldn't be because he liked her. It would be just because he felt sorry for her. Besides, Roxas deserved someone better than her.

'_Much better,' _Her mind solemnly notes.

X-X-x-X-x

When Naminé comes home, she doesn't bother greeting her stepmother or answering her father's series of inquisitions. No. Her emotions are wavering, preparing to enter a state of utter turmoil. Answering either parent could be detrimental and she can't bear the thought of bursting into tears in front of them.

Instead, Naminé runs upstairs to her room, locking the door behind her before pulling out the sketchbook she stores underneath her bed. The blonde flips through the pages quickly, her eyes barely catching sight of any of the previous work her hands had crafted until she finds a blank, vanilla page.

This prompts her to grab a newly sharpened pencil from on top of her desk and the lines she begins to draw are harsh, the shapes perfectly constructed but almost patronizing. She looks down, after a moment, at her new piece but isn't beaming with pride as she usually does. Her blue orbs are glaring down at it, tears tainting the newly forged lines and forcing them to run down the page.

'_This is what I should look like,' _She inwardly mourns as she casts her gaze down at the two-dimensional girl residing on the page. Unlike her, this girl was perfect. Her hair long and silky, lips full and luscious, eyes fierce and confident and a body that would have been the envy of any model. _'This is the girl Roxas deserves…not me.'_

More tears cascade down her cheeks and land on the page.

_The moment her smile began to break._

X-X-x-X-x

_(9__th__ Grade)_

Even though Naminé knew she would never be good enough for him, it still broke her heart when he started dating Xion. The blonde knew they had liked each other for a while and Roxas had even asked the raven haired girl to their eighth grade formal (only as "friends" he had infamously told her at the time) but dating had been another thing entirely. Maybe it was selfish to think, but Naminé had always hoped that her best friend wouldn't date anyone at all.

Yet, here they were, starting their freshman year of high school and he was dating someone—being _her_ Prince Charming instead of Naminé's.

"You're gonna watch us practice today, right babe?" He asks, planting a swift kiss on her cheek that makes Naminé's heart ache and tears prickle at the back of her eyes.

Xion smiles cutely in response and giggles as she affectionately taps his nose. "Of course, I said I would, didn't I?"

He shrugs but there is a playful twinkle in his eye as he replies smoothly. "Just checking. You know I don't perform as well unless my girl's there."

Xion's giggles became almost incessant as a light blush decorates her pale cheeks. She had never been this feminine before they had started dating, but now her attitude and even her attire began to change. Skirts for jeans. Blouses for graphic tees. It was though the tomboy everyone had thought Xion to be was gone and all that was left was a stereotypical boy-crazed girl.

"Oh stop!" She chides and swats his shoulder with a mirthful grin.

Naminé almost gags at the sight but restrains herself when she sees her best friend's eyes turn to her. They are still warm as they always are for her, but the playful, flirtatious gleam in them has dissipated leaving a hollow feeling inside Naminé's aching chest.

"You coming too, Naminé?" he inquires but she can tell that his girlfriend doesn't like the idea. Xion glares invisible daggers at her and the artist shifts uncomfortably in her chair as she tries to avoid the searing gaze. Naminé always watched him practice. It was Roxas' dream to be a professional musician and, as his best friend, Naminé saw to it that she gave him every ounce of support she possibly could.

"O-Of course," She says, her words stumbling as she watches the delighted expression cross his attractive features. It makes her blush to see him smile at her like that—even if it meant nothing more than friendship.

"Awesome. Now, there's no way we can't do our best today!" He then turns to talk eagerly to his girlfriend who pretends she's unaffected by Naminé's presence and, as the other band mates come into view, his words bubble over in their direction until they all walk down the hallway and into the school's music room. Naminé watches in silence from her seat in the back of the room as Roxas unsheathes his guitar from its case, a black instrument with a checkerboard pattern decorating its right side, and pulls the strap over his head, quietly tuning it.

The other members of the band follow suit and it isn't soon before her best friend's mellifluous voice echoes through the room. The song is sweet and could easily make any girl weak kneed; like many, Naminé was one of these girls.

_Roxas sings: _

_[Intro:]__  
I don't want another pretty face  
I don't want just anyone to hold  
I don't want my love to go to waste  
I want you and your beautiful soul_

I know that you are something special  
To you I'd be always faithful  
I want to be what you always needed  
Then I hope you'll see the heart in me

_[Chorus:]__  
I don't want another pretty face  
I don't want just anyone to hold  
I don't want my love to go to waste  
I want you and your beautiful soul  
You're the one I wanna chase  
You're the one I wanna hold  
I won't let another minute go to waste  
I want you and your beautiful soul_

Yeah

Roxas' smooth voice rings throughout the room and as he moves into the next verse, Naminé can't help but quietly observe her best friend. The years certainly have been good to him that's for sure. No longer short, her best friend had gained a considerable amount of height. He wasn't scrawny, however, and had built a significant amount of muscle thanks to his athletic hobbies. His hair was now a more radiant shade of gold and his blue eyes which had once held uncertainty were now filled with a bold new confidence. In other words, her best friend was above a ten on the hotness scale.__

You might need time to think it over  
But I'm just fine moving forward  
I'll ease your mind  
If you give me the chance  
I will never make you cry c`mon let's try

_[Chorus]___

Am I crazy for wanting you?  
Maybe do you think you could want me too?  
I don't wanna waste your time  
Do you see things the way I do?  
I just wanna know that you feel it too  
There is nothing left to hide

_[Chorus]___

I don't want another pretty face  
I don't want just anyone to hold  
I don't want my love to go to waste  
I want you and your beautiful soul  
You're the one I wanna chase  
You're the one I wanna hold  
I won't let another minute go to waste

I want you and your soul  
I don't want another pretty face  
I don't want just anyone to hold  
I don't want my love to go to waste  
I want you and your beautiful soul  
Ooooooo  
Beautiful Soul, yeah  
Oooooo, yeah  
Your beautiful soul  
Yeah 

Once Roxas finishes singing, Naminé stands up to clap. She wants to congratulate him with her words too but Xion shoots the blonde girl a glare, causing her hands to stop their excited motion and fall uselessly to her sides.

"I loved it!" Xion exclaims happily before throwing her arms around his waist and smiling up at him teasingly, "And, oh, don't worry you've already won _my_ beautiful soul."

He laughs at this and Naminé grimaces outwardly, only being able to wish that those lyrics were for her. That Roxas wanted _her _beautiful soul—regardless of the way she looked or her dress size.

Yet, Naminé knows it isn't t fair to judge him in this respect. He had always been nice to the larger girls in the school and didn't even know she had feelings for him since they were best friends.

"Good to know," He jokes back before she leans in and kisses him on the lips—the worst thing for her to witness. Naminé usually avoids them when they're together because of this. She hates the way his eyes close, the way his lips mold to her, the way they move tenderly against hers…It's too much to bear. Her heart shudders and she nearly gasps aloud at the new pain she feels.

As the moments pass, the oxygen in Naminé's lungs becomes erratic. She has to leave. Naminé starts towards the door, but before she can reach her destination, collides with Vanitas, one of the guitarists.

His face contorts into a cold scowl, gold eyes narrowed as his snide voice breaks the silence. "I can't believe you let the _fat chick_ in again. I told you, girls like _her_ are bad for our image." Naminé feels stinging behind her eyes at this, her lips trembling as Xion snickers under her breath and Vanitas towers over her with a cruel smirk.

Breaking away from Xion, Roxas' lips pull into a frown. "Knock it off Vanitas," he growls as he protectively puts an arm around her, "Naminé is my best friend."

Vanitas raises an eyebrow and laughs. "Doesn't mean she's not fat."

Roxas opens his mouth to begin his defense, but Naminé quickly pushes his arm away and runs into the hallway. Ignoring Roxas' calls for her to stop, Naminé just keeps running until she finds herself outside near the school's gymnasium. She leans up against the wall, breathing heavily for a moment before sliding down to the ground, sobbing.

Fat. Stupid, worthless and _fat. _That's all Naminé was ever going to be. Her mother was wrong; no man would ever love her. No Prince Charming would ever sweep her off her feet. She was completely and utterly—

"You okay?" The unfamiliar voice that speaks brings Naminé out of her wallowing and forces her teary blue eyes to look up.

Silver blond hair hidden underneath a navy beanie and dark blue eyes. Naminé has never seen him around before.

"W-Who are you?" She stutters hoarsely, her voice worn from crying.

He smiles down at her and extends a hand. "Name's Seifer."

"Seifer," She repeats, taking his hand before answering with her own name, "I'm…Naminé…"

He tries her name on his lips before the smile dissolves into a look of concern. "Naminé…Well, Naminé I guess I was just wondering what a pretty girl like you was doing out here alone, and…crying?"

The only thing that registers in Naminé's mind, however, is the compliment. "P-Pretty? I'm not…I'm not p-pretty," She contradicts with a hasty shake of the head. She isn't pretty. What was this boy talking about?

"I think you are. That's why I came by to see if you were okay. I wouldn't come to see if an _ugly _girl was okay," Seifer compliments smoothly and Naminé naively discards her doubts about the silver haired boy as her cheeks ignite.

"O-Oh…well um…I'm o-okay I guess."

Seifer shakes his head at her, making Naminé feel like a little child. "Didn't look okay to me. Now, tell me what happened."

Naminé hesitates at first, the explanation trapped behind her lips. But, then she looks up him and everything comes out. What she had just witnessed. Her feelings for her best friend who not only had absolutely _no clue_ of her feelings but also had a girlfriend who hated her. She even tells Seifer about her insecurities regarding her weight and by the end of her explanation; Naminé feels a weight being slowly lifted off her chest.

"And…that's it," She finishes, shyly averting her eyes from his intense blue gaze.

Seifer pauses a minute to gather his thoughts, but then looks to her determinedly as he takes her petite hand within his own. "That's awful…you're absolutely beautiful Naminé. I would never do that to you."

"He…H-He doesn't mean to hurt me," She quietly defends but her words come out hollow. Why should she wait on Roxas? He clearly didn't love her like she did and Seifer seemed to really like her. He seemed to really care about her. He called her _beautiful!_

"It doesn't matter. He doesn't realize how beautiful you are and _I_ do," Seifer counters, coming closer so that their lips were mere inches from one another.

"S-Seifer…"

"Shh..," He touches a finger to her lips. "Stay with me Naminé. I promise to always love you."

Tears drop from her face at the words and she only leans in as a response. Their lips meet and Naminé finally thinks she's found her Prince.

_Too bad she can't see past his guise. _

X-X-x-X-x

When she comes into Biology class a few months later, he notices bruises decorating her body as she works diligently beside him. They've been dating for nearly three months now and he has begun to see changes in her. The blonde artist is now even more reclusive. She hardly spoke to him since she was always with Seifer and when she was with Seifer, she wouldn't even _look_ his way.

"Naminé," he breaks the silence between the two of them in a soft voice.

Naminé looks up at her best friend expectantly. She hopes he doesn't notice her bruises. She doesn't wasn't him to get the wrong idea about Seifer. He loved her. He had just been in a bad mood that day. It was nothing to worry about.

"Yes…?"

"What happened to your arms?" He pauses briefly to retain his building anger, "Did he…Did _he_ do that to you?"

Naminé pulls down the sleeves of her lilac cardigan and shifts away from him as she glares angrily. "It's none of your business!"

"None of my business!?" He repeats incredulously, "You're my best friend Naminé; of course it's my business! It's my job to protect you from creeps like him!"

"You don't even know him," Naminé hisses.

Roxas snorts. "I know enough to say that you need to break up with him!"

Naminé clenches her fists. How could he do this to her!? She _loved_ Seifer! Even if he wasn't always kind to her, he loved her like no other man ever would. "Just butt out!" She whispers coldly before swiping her items off the countertop they were working off of and asking the teacher if she could go to the nurse's office.

Roxas fumes as he watches her leave, but can't help but feel that it wasn't just anger he was feeling.

_He never knew jealously could come in so many shades. _

X-X-x-X-x

"She told me,_ me _her best friend to butt out!" Roxas complains angrily as he and his band mates tune their instruments in the old music room.

"C'mon, it's her first boyfriend," Demyx, the third guitarist, pipes, "She's probably just in the honey moon phase still."

Roxas shakes his head in frustration, almost breaking one of the guitar's strings. "He's hurting her Demyx! How am I supposed to be cool with _that!?_"

"It's her problem. Let her deal with it," Xion says with no sympathy as she comes to wrap an arm around her boyfriend's shoulder. "You have more important things to deal with." She kisses his temple but he still doesn't smile.

"Yeah man, we've got the band to worry about. Auditions are coming up and if we want to play for this year's homecoming dance, we've got to be on our A-game," Sora adds.

"Still," Roxas sighs sullenly, "I…I don't want her hurt."

Vanitas snorts before a wicked gleam infects his eyes. "Are you sure that's all it is pretty boy? Are you sure you're not…_jealous_ of him?"

Roxas jolts upright, nearly smacking Xion's face with the back of his head. _Jealous?_ He wasn't jealous, was he? He had a girlfriend. There was no way he could be jealous, especially of a low life like Seifer.

"_W-What?"_ Roxas blurts with wide eyes. His girlfriend doesn't look amused at the suggestion and Roxas knows he has to explain quickly if he doesn't want to face her wrath later. "I'm not jealous! I'm just worried about her, Vanitas! We've been best friends since we were kids. It's never been anything like that…"

Xion seems to relax at this, but Vanitas still chuckles in amusement, knowing his words would stick.

"You keep telling yourself that pretty boy, but I still think you're jealous."

Roxas rolls his eyes, but as he plays, Vanitas' words refuse to leave the blond's mind. _Was_ Vanitas right? Was he just jealous? Naminé had never dated anyone before so maybe it was just some weird natural reaction to her having a boyfriend. He isn't necessarily jealous because _he_ wanted to be her boyfriend, right?

No. He couldn't be. He was dating Xion; Xion was his girlfriend. He was perfectly happy where he was.

_But in his heart, Roxas knows how he really feels._

X-X-x-X-x

An hour has passed and he's still driving through the pouring rain to see her. Naminé and Seifer have been dating for nearly six months now, but tonight she had called him, tears choking out her soft voice. He had cheated on her. That pathetic low life had cheated on his best friend and then had the nerve to dump her at their anniversary dinner.

The hatred he feels towards the silver haired boy is indescribable and as he finally pulls into her driveway, he knows that he has to restrain himself for her sake.

She's a wreck when he enters her room. Tear streaks painting her cheeks, hair disheveled and eyes red and puffy. More than he hates Seifer, Roxas hates to see his best friend like this.

Stepping over the scattered tissue balls on the ground, Roxas comes to put a gentle hand on Naminé's shoulder. She doesn't say anything but, instead, wraps her arms around him, burying her head in his chest as more sobs escape her lips.

Roxas isn't sure how long they sat like that. Minutes, hours…it could have been either. The only thing he is sure of is that he has to stay with her.

"T-Thank you, Roxas," Naminé sniffles, lifting her head from his chest. The amount of gratitude she feels for her best friend is immeasurable and she only wishes she had a better way of expressing it.

He uses his thumb to wipe away a lone tear that drops from her eyes and smiles tenderly at the blonde haired artist. "It's…it's nothing. You're my best friend Nami; I'll always be there for you. No matter what."

A watery smile makes it onto her lips in response, but she doesn't respond any further as she leans her head against his chest and closes her tired eyes, finally falling asleep. His grip tightens around her as his own eyes slowly close to embrace sleep's peaceful lullaby.

_He doesn't realize himself slowly falling._

X-X-x-X-x

"Ready to get out there and rock their worlds?" Sora asks, looking to the lead singer of their band with a large grin.

Roxas peers around the curtain they stand behind, seeing the endless sea of faces milling about but not one of them belonging to person he was looking for. "Yeah, I guess," he says with a sigh. Maybe it had been useless to encourage Naminé to come to the dance. With her and Seifer broken up and Xion and himself dating, there was no one she could come with. But, the blond boy still thought she could at least have some fun coming with Kairi and them.

Naminé loved getting her hair done and dances always seemed to make her feel like a princess.

"You guess?" Sora copies verbally with a shake of the head. "What is with you man? We're about to perform in front of the _whole_ school and you 'guess' we're going to rock their worlds?"

Roxas only shrugs in response, strumming his fingers along his guitar in preparation as the curtain finally rises and exposes them to their eager peers who cheer excitedly at the sight of the teen musicians. Exhaling, Roxas forces his anxiety to dissipate and smiles out to the crowd before moving his lips closer to the microphone and finally singing.

The first few songs pass by before Naminé enters the gymnasium. Clad in a strapless, elegant powder blue dress, her face nearly glows, easily catching Roxas' attention and _his. _

Naminé looks up at him, smiling faintly as she waves awkwardly in his direction; his heart stutters in response and it's such a foreign feeling to him that he almost misses a word of the song.

'_Naminé…She looks so…beautiful tonight,' _He thinks, blushing slightly when he notices her eyes haven't left him yet. _'This is so…strange. Why do I feel so nervous? Naminé is my best friend.'_

He doesn't understand why she's affecting him like this. All of the years they had spent together, he had never felt this way. When had she become so beautiful? He had always thought she was pretty, but why hadn't he noticed her beauty before?

Roxas shakes the thought from his head, however, when he notices another set of blue eyes on him. Xion. His girlfriend. She smiles up at him and waves confidently but the smile he returns feels forced on his lips.

From her place in the crowd, Naminé observes this subtle change and secretly wonders if he finally had feelings for her? Even while dating Seifer, he had still been the one in her heart. Seifer had been an easy cop-out that she would never crawl back to—

"Wow, now don't you look _hot_ tonight?" His voice, sinisterly slick, stops her blood cold. "Why didn't you tell me you wanted to go the dance? I would have taken you."

"You broke up with me, remember?" Naminé says quietly. She would not cave.

Seifer places his hands on her hips and draws her body closer to his. "Mmm…I made a mistake babe. A big one."

Naminé tries to draw her frame away from his but his group tightens, forcing her to stop and sigh. "W-We're not getting back together Seifer…"

"What? So you can be with him?" He mocks snidely, "He has a girlfriend and besides, he'll never love you like I do_. Really_ Naminé, he's had years. Don't you think if he _truly_ loved you, he would have said so by now?"

Naminé's blue eyes become glassy as she forces the tears to remain trapped behind her eyes. What if Seifer was right? What if Roxas never loved her? He did have plenty of time to say something, so what if Seifer was her only shot at being loved? What if passing on his affection meant passing on all affection? Naminé squeezes her eyes shut but throws her arms around Seifer's waist, murmuring into his chest. "Y-You're right…I-I love you. P-Please take me b-back."

Seifer smirks into her hair before putting her arms length and leaning into kiss her. "I guess I can, princess. You'll just have to make it worthwhile from now on."

Naminé doesn't say anything further but nods, unaware of her best friend's angry expression.

_She doesn't know that's there's something better._

X-X-x-X-x

_(10__st__ Grade)_

By the time they are sophomores, Naminé and Roxas have barely spent any time with one another. He was constantly rehearing with his band and she was constantly kept busy catering to Seifer' s every demand. Naminé wasn't even allowed to talk to her best friend. But…when the time came, he was there for her again to help with her latest crisis.

"What's going on?" Roxas calls, finding his best friend disheveled in her bathroom. Tear stains decorate her face and her makeup is smudged from crying. "I got your text, what happened?"

Naminé chokes down another sob as she leans her head up against the white tile of the bathroom wall. "R-Roxas…I'm so s-scared. I think…I think I might be p-pregnant!"

"P-Pregnant!?" He repeats; the air suddenly drains from his lungs as he staggers to ground, disoriented.

More sobs escape Naminé's lips but she manages to weakly hold up the pregnancy test. "I-I haven't used it y-yet…I really…" Her voice breaks and Roxas has to quell his anger towards Seifer as he gently takes one of her hands. "I just r-really wanted…someone to be h-her with m-me as p-pathetic as t-that is." Naminé laughs brokenly at this, already feeling stupid that she had called him all the way over in the middle of a thunderstorm.

"It's not pathetic," Roxas soothes with a comforting smile, "I understand. This is…a big deal. I wouldn't want to be alone either." The blond boy doesn't bring Seifer into the equation. He knows what that would do to her.

A fresh set of tears fall from her eyes but, after a minute, she nods and they sit in her bathroom waiting for the results. Neither teen says anything as they waited; Naminé rests her head on his shoulder, silently praying. She couldn't be a mother at sixteen and she knew Seifer wouldn't stay with her if she was pregnant. He had always made it very clear that he had no intentions of becoming a father.

"I think it's done…," Roxas whispers shakily.

Naminé nods, releasing an uneasy breath before bringing the stick up to her face and reading her fate. A small minus sign. "It's…I'm not p-pregnant. I'm not pregnant!" Naminé bolts upright, turning to Roxas with a relieved smile.

"T-That's great!" Roxas smiles at her and pulls himself up off the ground. "I'm really…really glad."

Naminé holds up the stick in wonder with one hand, unable to stop smiling as she eases herself off the floor. "Thank you Roxas," She says suddenly pulling him in for a hug before whispering into his ear softly, "I was so…scared, but having you there, made everything okay. Thank you."

Naminé then pulls away and Roxas doesn't admit it but he already misses her warmth. "We're best friends Naminé and I'm really just happy I was able to help at all. I mean I know we've both been really caught up with other things but…"

"I know," Naminé smiles, cutting him off with a finger to his lips, "It's okay. I understand. Life's been crazy."

Roxas removes her finger from his lips. "Still, I should have been there for you," He sighs sadly.

"The important thing is that you're here now, so c'mon let's go downstairs and watch movies all night like we used to," She says, pulling him towards the door. Naminé doesn't tell him how much she's missed him. How much she wishes to be with him instead of Seifer. She can't.

"We can start by watching the _Avengers_," Roxas suggests as a goofy, boyish grin flits across his lips.

Naminé swats his shoulder playfully as a bell-like laugh escapes her lips. "What's with boys and super hero movies?"

"C'mon, don't lie," Roxas teases softly, "You like them too." Naminé giggles again and Roxas can't help but relish the sound.

_She doesn't know it, but it's her sweet laughter that causes him to fall harder_

X-X-x-X-x

"Out with Naminé again?" Xion asks with a glare the moment her boyfriend comes through the door. They are meeting up at her house so that they could go to late movie that night, but lately Xion had been feeling distant from the blond. It's as if he was constantly distracted and she is beginning to think it has something to do with his 'best friend' Naminé.

Roxas shrugs and hangs his jacket in the entry way closet. "She just needed to talk. It was no big deal."

"Hmm…," the obsidian haired girl frowns, "I'm sure."

"C'mon Xi, we barely get to see each other anyway," Roxas counters. He doesn't want to admit that his relationship with Xion hasn't been going well, but not doing so would be a lie. Things were not going well _at all._ Xion always seemed jealous whenever he mentioned Naminé and wouldn't even listen when he asked for her advice about what he should do regarding Seifer. It was like she didn't care.

"Yeah, whatever. What time is the movie at?" Xion asks, dismissing his previous words with an uncaring wave.

Roxas' eyebrows furrow at her actions, a frown settling on his lips. "What's your problem? Lately, you've just been so…_angry_ at me all the time and I don't get it."

"Wow, you really _are_ blonde," Xion snorts with a sarcastic eye roll, "I can't believe you don't get it."

"Get _what_?"

"That I'm _mad _at you because all you ever talk about is _her_. I mean you don't even talk that much and all I hear about is how pissed you are at Seifer or how bad you feel for not being there for her!" Xion stops her verbal tirade long enough look up at her boyfriend and sigh in exasperation. "I'm just really sick of it Roxas. I love you but…if you can't give her up then…We're through. I won't be second best to anyone, especially not some fat girl like her."

Roxas bites back his surprise with anger, clenching his fists as he forces his voice to remain steady through gritted teeth. "Quit saying things like that about her. You don't know her like I do and…and if you want to break up over some stupid jealousy issue you have, then fine. We're over."

"Just like that?" Xion says with hurt evident in her tone, "Did you even hear anything I said? If you would just put her in the past where she belongs we could still—"

She reaches for him but he moves away from her touch with cold eyes. "We're over Xion." The words feel bitter on his tongue but there is a sense of freedom lingering in them as well. With Xion out of the way, there would be no problem with talking to Naminé or trying to find a way to help her get away from Seifer.

Tears fall from Xion's cheeks but she brushes them away hastily as she points to her front door. "Leave then." Roxas doesn't say anything as he grabs his jacket and walks towards the door, but he does cast his now former lover a sincerely rueful smile as the parting words pass from his lips.

"I'm sorry, Xion."

_She sees the new freedom in his eyes, however, and knows she's lost him completely._

X-X-x-X-x

_(11th Grade)_

"A record deal, that's great!" Naminé clasps her hands together happily, hiding the anxiety she harbors at his departure. Naminé is happy for her best friend. This is his dream after all, but it was still hard to see him go somewhere she couldn't be.

"Yeah," He scratches the back of his head, "I thought it would never happen but it did." Roxas doesn't want to leave her. She's still dating Seifer and he can't help but worry that something would happen to her when he was gone. But…this is a once in a lifetime opportunity to live his dream. A chance to finally make something of himself.

"Well…," Naminé pauses to suppress an onslaught of emotions bubbling in her stomach, shaking her head with a cheerful smile, "I'm really happy for you, Roxas. This is your dream; you deserve to live it."

He knew his best friend would support him, but a sudden thickness creeps into his voice as he quietly confesses. "I'm going to miss you…"

The vulnerability in his voice surprises her and the tears she had forced to remain trapped behind her eyes slowly begin to fall down her soft cheeks. "I'm g-going to m-miss you t-too," Naminé chokes out before her restraint crumbles and she suddenly throws her arms around his waist.

Roxas' eyes widen in shock at the gesture for a fleeting second, but then he merely savors the moment, locking his arms around her frame even tighter.

_Neither of them knows that it will be another year before they see one another again…_

X-X-x-X-x

_(Post 12__th__ Grade)_

Bruises paint her body as she walks through the door of their apartment. Now that school has ended, they are living together and Naminé hates it. She couldn't say no to him for fear of what his wrath might unleash, but secretly she despises him.

She is a prisoner. A piece of property. A worn toy thrown uselessly to the side.

Yet, she accepts this because he is all she has. Her parents had never approved of him and because of their relationship, Naminé quickly became estranged from her family soon after she graduated from high school. It was unfortunate, but Naminé felt helpless to stop it. Seifer was her warden. He held all of the power in the relationship.

'_I wonder if he'll ever change?' _Naminé asks herself, knowing the answer but still clinging to hope.

When she sees the TV's blaring light from the living room, Naminé knows Seifer is home. She sighs but slips out of her work shoes in preparation to cater to the assault of demands soon to depart from his lips.

"Your woman back? Or is it some other wench?" One man hollers drunkenly to Seifer from the living room. Naminé flinches from both the volume of the man's voice and the implications behind his words. She's never certain anymore if she truly was Seifer's 'one and only.' Seifer flirted with other women quite blatantly with the excuse that it was 'all in good fun,' and 'you're still my girl.' Naminé didn't want to believe his words, but she always tried to for the sake of her own sanity.

"I dunno," Seifer responds back lazily, belching loudly before calling the blonde in question. "Naminé, you back yet?"

Naminé timidly answers in a voice only loud enough for Seifer to hear. "Y-Yes."

"_Ugh…,"_ Seifer releases an irritated grunt and rolls his eyes, "Get in here women! I can hardly hear a damn thing you're saying right now!"

Naminé doesn't offer a verbal response but walks into the living room with a meek, uncomfortable smile as the rest of Seifer's friends creepily appraise her form with their lust filled eyes.

"So this is your woman, eh?" Another man asks with a toothy, mocking grin, "I'm a bit surprised; I expected her to be thinner." The other two men lounging in the living room chortle stupidly in response, and Naminé can only flush as she stifles the tears threatening to stain her cheeks.

She knows she isn't the skinniest girl, but having to be reminded wasn't something Naminé needed. Waitressing twelve hour days, seven days a week at a local diner, tending to the household and making sure Seifer is happy are already enough of a burden.

"Yeah," another man slurs. His face is ruddy from the alcohol he has consumed and even from where she is standing, Naminé can smell the heavy stench of beer wafting from his portly body. "There are plenty of other women out there; why pick _her _when you could have any of them?"

Naminé clenches her jaw at the portly man's words, bracing herself for Seifer's answer. He wouldn't say anything bad in front of her. He couldn't—Not after everything she has done for him.

Seifer shrugs. "She was easy and…," Seifer pauses, a smirk tugging at his lips, "besides, who says I _don't_ have more than one woman?"

The third man slaps his knee as he bellows out a deep laugh. "Oh, yes! _Her!_ Now, _she_ was quite the spit fire!"

"You have no idea," Seifer's voice trails off in pleasurable recollection.

No one looks to see how the words had affected Naminé. She is invisible, still expected to maintain her domestic duties even when her heart is no longer whole in her chest. She is not important or of value. She has been debased and is now living as though she were dead.

Inside, Naminé _feels_ dead.

But, like a good lover, she still does what is expected until they are satisfied.

And then, she crumples onto the bathroom floor, drowning in her own sorrow until the only option left is the one she has avoided for so long. Held the flame of hope against until its candle was nothing more than an unusable puddle of wax.

With shaking hands, Naminé opens the drawer on the far right and pulls out a slim, silver blade. The reflective surface shows her image and, had she been in her right mind, Naminé would have gasped at the person staring back at her—Disheveled hair, dark rings underneath faded blue eyes, makeup that ran down her face in visible, dark streaks.

But, she is not in her right mind and the visage staring back at her means nothing as the blade finds its way to her neck…

X-X-x-X-x

_(A Few Weeks Later)_

After her suicide attempt, Naminé has been staying with Kairi. Her cousin had insisted that the blonde artist stay with her and regardless of any arguments Naminé threw at her, Kairi wouldn't take no for an answer.

"Seifer still hasn't called," Naminé observes looking at the unlit screen of her phone with a sullen expression. Naminé knows it's sick that she still waits for him and she knows how much it irritates her cousin but it's been nearly three weeks and Seifer hasn't even bothered to see if she was okay.

Didn't he miss her? Even if she was only one of many women, didn't their relationship mean anything to him? He had promised to always love her and, despite her resentment, he was her security.

Kairi releases an annoyed sigh, resisting the urge to smother herself with the pillows on her bed. "Why does it matter what that creep thinks? He's the one who made your life a living hell!"

"I know…" Naminé mumbles weakly, "I just wish things hadn't turned out like this. I mean I still lo—"

"Do not say you still love him, Naminé. Don't you even _dare_ say that," Kairi interrupts coldly. Having seen the damage done to her cousin's physical and emotional being, the red head would _not _hear her cousin sing that monster's praises. Not again.

"Well, what do you _want_ me to say then? Do you want me to lie?" Naminé retorts as hot, angry tears roll down her cheeks.

"I don't want you to _lie_ Naminé, but I know you. You _hated_ Seifer. You hated what that monster did to you and…" Kairi chokes back a sob, breaking Naminé's already shattered heart further. "So did I. God, Naminé _why him?_ Why did you have to be with _him_ out of all people?"

At this point, Naminé is unable to hold back the strangled sobs from her own lips as she mournfully admits to her cousin. "I-I don't know. I j-just wanted someone to l-love me and…and he p-promised. He _promised_ me Kairi. No other man has ever promised me that and I was just s-so happy that…I didn't think until it was too late."

Naminé feels her cousin's arms wrap around her torso tightly, the whisper of the red head's words wafting softly but shakily into her ear.

"But it's not too late Naminé. If you…if you just let him go, I know you'll find someone who loves you. Who will treat you with the respect you deserve." Kairi's smile is watery but full of sincerity as she looks at her cousin.

Naminé, however, shakes her head with disbelief. Seifer was her only chance at love and now that he wouldn't even speak to her there was no hope for her. "I-I don't want to go back to him…but I don't think there's any man out there for me. Not one that'd truly love me anyway."

"Why do you have to be so stubborn?" Kairi asks with a more lighthearted tone, "You _will_ find someone, Nami. Just you wait. Opportunity will come knocking on your door when you least expect it to—"

_Knock. Knock. _

As if on cue, a few soft raps hit against the door's frame before Olette's head abruptly peers around the corner, an awkward smile painted on her face.

"Hope I'm not interrupting anything…,"Olette says hesitantly, "but I have some good news." Both girls wipe away stray tears, but Kairi is the first to smile and crack a joke.

"What's the good news Lett? Did Hayner finally reach a state of maturity?"

Olette snorts and rolls her eyes sarcastically. "I wish, but no. The good news is that…," Olette's voice trails off momentarily as she fishes three slips of paper out of her jean's pocket and holds them out to for her two awaiting friends to see. "I managed to get three tickets to see Roxas' show tomorrow night!"

Naminé gasps but a smile breaks through her mournful expression. See her best friend again? Naminé's mangled heart skips a beat even just thinking about it.

"That's awesome!" Kairi exclaims with twinkling violet eyes, "It'll be like one great big reunion, huh Nami?"

Naminé nods her head, offering no other response as the happiness she feels continues to swell until she thinks that even the shattered fragments of her heart have burst with excitement.

_Finally, they would reunite._

X-X-x-X-x

"Can't believe we're gonna be playing here again…," Roxas muses aloud to himself as the rest of the band lazily lounges throughout the tour bus, "It's been so long…I wonder what everyone has been doing…?"

Though, in truth, there is only one person Roxas is thinking about. The girl that had plagued his mind, heart and dreams for over a year now…

"Don't let yourself get too distracted bro. We need to do our best for tomorrow night's show, I mean this _is _our hometown," Sora says, both clapping Roxas heartily on the back and breaking him away from his reverie.

Roxas shakes his head, "Yeah…I know, but…I can't help but wonder. I mean we left behind everything for this, right? I just—"

"Want to see Naminé?" Sora finishes with a knowing smile. At this point, the musician's feelings for the blonde girl were no secret—except to the musician himself of course.

"Huh?" Roxas' eyes widen at the keen accusation, but rapidly shakes his head in protest. Why did Sora always have to say things like that? He made it seem like much more than a friendly reunion. "And everyone!" Roxas amends hastily, "It's not just Naminé I want to see you know."

"But Roxas…We all know—"

"Aw leave em' alone Sora," Vantias orders with a smirk, ignoring Sora's confused look with a simple wink. "Blondie's already made himself quite clear he doesn't like the fat chick—not that I blame him. She's not exactly—"

"SHUT UP!" Roxas suddenly bursts, his eyes were narrowed into icy slits and his hands were clenched tightly at his sides. He was _so_ _sick_ of all of them!

Sora blinks back shock at his friend's eruption. Vanitas, however, only smirks and folds his arms across his chest defiantly. "Why should I? It's true, isn't it? It's not like you picked her over Xion, right?"

The other band members were looking back now. What was Vanitas doing? Was he _trying _to start something only hours before their next show?

There is a moment of heavy silence in the air before Roxas speaks again. His voice is soft but darkness lingers in the tone as though stuck in its own twilight. "I did pick Xion…but," Roxas closes his eyes, the emotions buried in his soul finally surfacing as realization dawns upon him. How had he had been so blind? "I-I…I made a mistake. I should have picked Naminé because…she's the most beautiful, kind, and amazing person I've ever met. I always knew it too, but being in a relationship?" Roxas releases a dry, humorless laugh. "God…I was _so_ stupid. I didn't even think of her that way until she started dating Seifer and then…I kept having all these strange _feelings. _I wanted to kiss her, hold her…I wanted to be the one who was there for her instead of him but now…it doesn't even matter. I waited too long…"

"God, could you be more melodramatic?" Vanitas finally interrupts with a snort, "You know, your little speech would be perfect in some pathetic soap opera."

"Vanitas…" Sora murmurs warningly, but the older man pays no heed.

Roxas scowls, "Gee, thanks Vanitas. Glad to have a friend like you." Why did he even bother?

"Hey," Vanitas counters with the smirk still firmly planted on his face, "I'm not the loser who finally decided to throw in the towel, am I?"

Roxas lets out a frustrated snarl as his face contorts into a darker glower. "What the hell am I _supposed_ to do? She probably doesn't even like me anyway and with—"

"Doesn't like you?" Vanitas intercedes with a laugh. He walks towards the blond musician and places a hand on his shoulder. "Are you really _that _dense? That chick has been _in love _with you for only God knows how long."

Roxas doesn't bother to remove the obsidian haired man's hand. Vanitas couldn't be right, could he? "But…what about Seifer?"

"A replacement," Vanitas says simply with a wave of the hand.

Roxas scratches his head. "But—"

"Are you _always_ this slow?" Vanitas asks with an exasperated sigh, "You wrote that new song for her, right?"

"Yeah…" Roxas answers hesitantly.

"We'll play that tonight so you can sing it to her, and I can finally stop seeing you mope around all the damn time." Vanitas says the last part sharply, but Roxas knows it isn't in Vanitas' character to make a kind suggestion without some biting remark at the end.

'_He's right…I do still have a chance.'_

Roxas smiles at his friend before walking off into the bedroom at the end of the bus to practice the song. "Thanks Vanitas."

"Whatever." Vanitas shrugs, not realizing the other smiling face looking at him until the singer is completely gone. "What?" Vanitas sneers at the brunette menacingly, "Don't tell me you've finally lost _all_ your brain cells, little brother?"

The next words that leave Sora's mouth, however, catch the raven haired man off guard. "You did a nice thing Vanitas."

"Yeah, well don't get used to it," Vanitas replies snidely.

Sora rolls his eyes, but mumbles with a faint smile. "Wouldn't dream of it."

_Finally, he understood…_

X-X-x-X-x

They are standing in the endless sea of faces now. The blaring lights, the screams of the crowd…Naminé's heart pounds as she gazes up at the stage. He isn't there yet, but she feels his presence, can picture his oceanic eyes. He's so close to her—

"I-I don't think I can d-do this," Naminé mutters helplessly. By now, he probably had someone else in his life. Someone elegant, beautiful and thin with long legs and a commercial white smile.

"Stop psyching yourself out Nam," Kairi orders softly, "This is Roxas we're talking about. He's still your best friend."

"Yeah…I know, but…" Naminé bites her trembling lip, "What if he _sees _me?" They are in the fifth row after all, so the chances were much higher than if they had seats in the far back of the outdoor stadium.

"Then he sees you," Olette says simply.

"And besides," Kairi adds with a twinkle in her violet eyes, "you look adorable in that outfit so it's not like he'll have anything _bad _to look at."

"Kairi!" Naminé hisses, but the red head only giggles incessantly. The blonde woman sighs and looks down at her attire. A simple, knee length blue sundress with a skinny red leather belt and gladiator styled sandals on her feet—_'I suppose it wouldn't be the end of the world if he saw me in this, but still…what happens if he does see me?'_

Abruptly, the crowd's screams increase and create a deafening soundtrack. Naminé swallows, knowing he is finally on stage. She watches him enter from the left, a guitar slung across his lean shoulder. His voice is smooth as he greets the adoring spectators surrounding her, but she can tell his eyes are carefully examining the crowd as if looking for someone…

Again, Naminé feels her heart palpitate in her chest until she's sure it is going to burst. Kairi shouts something at her enthusiastically, but her words fall on deaf ears as she watches him, completely immersed in the hypnotic melodies escaping from his lips.

Minutes, hours, centuries, days…Naminé isn't sure how long passes until the songs stop and his voice cuts through the noise of the multitude of people again.

Roxas begins quietly, forcing the screams to die into undulating waves. "This next song…we've never played it before, but…I wrote it for someone special to me."

Naminé blinks to erase the tears stinging behind her eyes. Of course he already had someone special…

"…and I was hoping that I could play it for her tonight. So, Naminé, if you're out there…please let me know."

A spotlight begins to dance across the stadium, and Naminé feels a heavy numbness spread through her body until the excited screams beside her jolt her back to reality.

"Over here! Over here!" Kairi squeals, happily jumping up and down as she points to the blonde. Olette mimics Kairi's actions, and Naminé wants to clamp a hand over both their mouths.

But, it's too late. He spots her and the smile on his lips turns her legs to jelly. She doesn't even realize she's on the stage until his hands clasps hers and draws her into a hug.

"I've missed you so much," He whispers into her hair before drawing back, and she can't say anything because heart keeps skipping beats and her brain refuses to signal for her lips to offer a verbal answer.

"You don't mind me playing this song for you, do you?" He asks, voice loud enough for the crowd this time. Naminé shakes her head, and soon finds herself sitting on a lone stool with thousands of eyes upon her trembling form.

Roxas releases her hand gently and smiles at her before gesturing for the band to begin.

_Roxas sings:_

_Beauty queen of only eighteen_

_She had some trouble with herself_

_He was always there to help her_

_She always belonged to someone else_

_I drove for miles and miles_

_And wound up at your door_

_I've had you so many times but somehow_

_I want more_

Emotion finally flickers across her features as Naminé feels a bud of hope sprouting in her chest.

_I don't mind spending everyday_

_Out on your corner in the pouring rain_

_Look for the girl with the broken smile_

_Ask her if she wants to stay awhile_

_And she will be loved_

_She will be loved_

_Tap on my window knock on my door_

_I want to make you feel beautiful_

_I know I tend to get so insecure_

_It doesn't matter anymore_

She is shaking now, tears staining her cheeks as they fall onto the fabric of her dress. All those years…She had so hard tried not to love him, but the wall surrounding her fragmented heart falls as the lyrics both pierce and mend it in one swift motion.

_It's not always rainbows and butterflies_

_It's compromise that moves us along, yeah_

_My heart is full and my door's always open_

_You can come anytime you want_

_I don't mind spending everyday_

_Out on your corner in the pouring rain_

_Look for the girl with the broken smile_

_Ask her if she wants to stay awhile_

_And she will be loved_

_And she will be loved_

_And she will be loved_

_And she will be loved_

_I know where you hide_

_Alone in your car_

_Know all of the things that make you who you are_

_I know that goodbye means nothing at all_

_Comes back and begs me to catch her every time she falls_

Memories flood her senses—laughs, smiles, hugs…Was this truly reality? Or is she merely stuck in a sweet dream? Roxas glances at her quivering figure from his place at the mic and smiles softly. How had he never seen her beauty before?

_Tap on my window knock on my door_

_I want to make you feel beautiful_

_I don't mind spending everyday_

_Out on your corner in the pouring rain_

_Look for the girl with the broken smile_

_Ask her if she wants to stay awhile_

_And she will be loved_

_And she will be loved_

_And she will be loved_

_And she will be loved_

_[in the background]_

_Please don't try so hard to say goodbye_

_Please don't try so hard to say goodbye_

_Yeah_

_[softly]_

_I don't mind spending everyday_

_Out on your corner in the pouring rain_

_Try so hard to say goodbye_

Once the song ends, he sets his guitar on the stage and approaches her. The spotlight is still shining brightly, illuminating their frames with an almost heavenly glow.

"Naminé," Roxas says and she looks up at him with bleary eyes, "I'm sorry."

The audience suddenly goes silent, prompting Naminé to respond quickly and with confusion interlacing each word. "W-What are you t-talking about? That song you just sang…it was _b-beautiful_ Roxas!"

"I'm glad you liked it," Roxas says before shaking his head apologetically, "I meant…I'm sorry for not realizing my feelings for you until now. I've been so stupid. I let someone else take you away. I-I let him hurt the one person I truly love…"

A gasp erupts from Naminé's lips. "Did you just say…? But Roxas…I'm not." Naminé's voice breaks off as more tears stream down her face. "I'm not good enough for you…I'm not pretty enough….I'm not sk-skinny enough."

She tries to run off the stage, but Roxas grabs her wrist and spins her to face him. The crowd watches intensely as he stares into her eyes fiercely. "I love you Naminé and even if you can't see it, you're perfect. You're beautiful, talented and," His eyes soften, "hasn't anyone ever told you how incredibly _sexy_ girls with curves are?"

Naminé flushes, opens her mouth to reply but Roxas' lips crash onto hers before a single syllable can be uttered. The audience behind them bursts into loud whoops and hollers, but neither blonde is aware.

'_I guess you were right Mama,' _Naminé thinks as she grabs Roxas' neck to deepen the kiss, _'I did find someone who loves me the way I am—just like you did…'_

X-X-x-X-x

_(10 years later)_

"Mommy?"

A twenty-eight year old Naminé looks down at her three year old daughter affectionately. "What is it baby?"

The little girl fidgets underneath her covers and pulls her stuffed bear closer to her chest. "How did you and Daddy fall in love?" Naminé brushes back her daughter's pale blonde bangs with a soft smile and kisses her forehead. Where to begin?

"Well—"

"Isn't that a bit of a long story to tell before bedtime?" Roxas teases, entering into his daughter's bedroom with the couple's five year old son curled against his chest. Naminé rolls her eyes but is smiling as her husband sits next to her on their daughter's bed. The little boy in his arms stirs and opens his eyes.

"But I can't fall asweep wifout a stowy," The little girl pouts.

"Yeah," her brother adds sleepily, "me neither."

Roxas rolls his own eyes, but concedes with a small smile, "Alright, alright." He then looks to his wife and nods, "You wanna do the honors then?"

"Of course, I was the one who was about to tell the story after all," Naminé says, ignoring the smirk on her husband's lips as she begins to narrate their story, "We were in second grade…"

**KHKHKHKHKHKH**

**Um…Yeah I have never written anything this long. Ever. So, sorry about the length. I don't normally do one shots because of my tendency to go on for quite a few pages…**

**But I hope it was enjoyable to anyone who could stomach reading this much. It's been my little side project since about July so I hope no one assumes I just did this in a few days because well…I didn't. I was just really inspired by Maroon 5's song and well I'm really in love with the band right now so my love turned into a story (albeit a very cheesy story…).**

**I'm also apologetic to those wondering what the heck happened to updates on my other multi-fics…I haven't been intentionally been slacking. College…is quite hectic and I didn't realize this at first but November and December are INSANE. I am working at the stories though…I finished this first simply because well…I haven't been feeling super awesome about my multi-fics. I'm not ditching any of them. It's just a bit difficult to write when you feel like the stories aren't as great as you feel they should be. **

_Please Read, Review and Favorite…_


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